The Power and the Glory: The History of the World Cup

by Jonathan Wilson

A definitive new history of the world’s most watched sporting event—just in time for the 2026 tournament​
 
"Wilson is the game’s pre-eminent popular historian."—Observer (UK)

An Irish Times Best Sports Book of the Year

Since 1930, the World Cup has become a truly global obsession. It is the most watched sporting event on the planet, and 211 teams competed to make it into the 2022 tournament. From its inception, it has also been a vehicle for far more than soccer. A tool for self-mythologizing and influence-peddling, The World Cup has played a crucial role in nation-building, and continues to, as countries negotiate their positions in a globalized world. 
 
The Power and the Glory is a comprehensive history of the matches and goals, the tales of scandal and triumph, the haggling and skulduggery of the bidding process, and the political and cultural tides behind every tournament. Jonathan Wilson details not merely what happened but why, based on fresh interviews and meticulous research. The book is as much about the legends of the sport, from Pelé to Messi, as it is about the nations that made them, from Mussolini’s Italy to partitioned Germany to controversy-ridden Qatar. 
 
Brimming with politics, heart, and drama, on and off the pitch, The Power and the Glory is the definitive story of the greatest cultural event of our time.

Genres: Soccer, History, Sports, Nonfiction

493 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 28, 2025

About the author

Jonathan Wilson is a British-born writer and professor who lives in Newton, Massachusetts.

Jonathan Wilson is the author of seven books: the novels The Hiding Room and A Palestine Affair, a finalist for the 2004 National Jewish Book Award, two collections of short stories Schoom and An Ambulance is on the Way: Stories of Men in Trouble, two critical works on the fiction of Saul Bellow and most recently a biography, Marc Chagall, runner-up for the 2007 National Jewish Book Award. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine and Best American Short Stories, among other publications, and he has received a Guggenheim Fellowship. He is Fletcher Professor of Rhetoric and Debate, Professor of English and Director of the Center for the Humanities at Tufts University.

Wilson also writes a column on soccer for the Internet Newspaper, The Faster Times.

Reviews

[Kadin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A timely read ahead of the World Cup in the U.S. this year. Jonathan Wilson's books are always very thoroughly researched and include some fascinating small details. It's remarkable how far the World Cup (and soccer, in general) has come from being played by part-time and out-of-shape barkeepers to being the height of athletic achievement on the world stage. And how political the most watched sporting tournament in the world always has been.

[Dave Suiter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jonathan Wilson seamlessly blends real-world political history with the drama of sport in "The Power and the Glory: A History of the World Cup." He does not shy away from the scandals surrounding FIFA or the murky politics behind choosing host nations for soccer’s premier event. At the same time, Wilson revisits the on-field heroics that define the tournament, from Pelé and Maradona to Mbappé and Messi. Most compelling is his ability to view the last century—its wars, conflicts, and social movements—through the lens of football, the world’s most popular sport, revealing how the World Cup has both reflected and shaped the modern world.

[Joshua Riddell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a well written history of the World Cup but it spends more time on the context around the World Cup rather than the game on the field: the hand of god gets barely a mention while the author spends more time on the killing of a Columbia player in 94 or the French team scandal in 2010. You will learn a lot about how the tournament expanded, how countries were impacted and the global politics played a part in history but you won’t always learn about the standout players.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

With the 2026 World Cup beginning in less than two weeks, I thought reading this might give me some historical context. Can't say I learned much. I already knew FIFA and World Cup bids are corrupt. Unless you're a hardcore football fan, I'd skip this; the research, writing, narration are solid, but the subject is so broad that nearly every section felt too shallow.

Since most interest in football/soccer is based on teams or players, I'd recommend starting there. You'll get more depth.

[Lennart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredibly detailed and jam packed with information. Can it be a little too much sometimes, absolutely. But it does justice too all the world cups providing political and sporting insight into the context surrounding the events.

Oddly surprised at the prevalence of political involvement in World Cups, I thought this was a more recent development.

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a pretty remarkable and usually fascinating book (no surprise coming from Wilson), but it can be a little overwhelming at times, especially when a given Cup's chapter feels more filled with trivia than big picture understanding. The early era and '50s Brazil are especially compelling, but, really, the whole thing's a great read for soccer fans.

[Kenzo Maczo · Rating 5 out of 5]

(4.5 stars).

Thoroughly researched, tying global geopolitics to the World Cup.

Interesting to learn of Hungary having a golden era in the 1950s, where they lost only once in 6 years. That one loss was the world cup final.

[William McCabe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book on the World cup and world history as well. Highly recommended!

[Margery Osborne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read w Miguel Delaney’s book and you’ll considering giving up football. (I mean as if—there’s no replacement is there?) Learned a lot here.

[Charlie Mayer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the later chapters are slightly uneven and assume a level of knowledge about how the tournaments played out but this was otherwise a fantastic read